davitk
Platinum Member
Chickens, and things related
- Thread starter Tororider
- Start date
- Views: 96679
tony123
Platinum Member
I called the local feed store today. They get their shipment tomorrow. So we should have our chicks! I've decided to scale back to only 6 for this first season.
Nothing like getting the chicks to put your butt in gear building a coop. How's that working for you toro?
Nothing like getting the chicks to put your butt in gear building a coop.
How's that working for you toro?
OP
Tororider
Veteran Member
I got a reprieve(sp), as my sister in law and future brother in law are buying a house that happens to have a chicken tractor on it, I will be able to use that at least through the summer while I look for free materials to build a winterized coop. So far so good, although I am aching to get that tractor so they can have some more room.
tony123
Platinum Member
This is a double post from my "farm" thread. I try not to do that, but it seemed appropriate to post here too....
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We're committed now........errrr...or should I say, "we should be committed now"? Either way, the chickens have arrived! I took the boys to the local feed store at noon today and they got to pick out exactly the ones they wanted. Here's a photo when we got home. Boy, do we have some explaining to do when Momma gets home.
They didn't have the breeds they thought they would. So we ended up getting. 2 Black Sex Link; 2 Americanas; and 2 New Hampshire Reds. They should have Buff Orpington's next week, and we may pick up two of those too.
I've got them set up now in a box in the guest bath tub. I have a lamp with 100watt bulb and it is keeping the temp at about 90degrees. Even then, the little girls are staying close to the bulb.
It didn't take long to realize that the large feeder and waterer I had wasn't going to work. So we loaded back up and went and bought the little chick stuff.
I'm thinking they'll stay in the bath tub for at least a few weeks until they can handle the garage.
6 chicks, 5 pounds of medicated starter food, the waterer and feeder all came to $22. So, the little girls don't have to start putting out eggs yet! We'll cut them a little slack...
========================
We're committed now........errrr...or should I say, "we should be committed now"? Either way, the chickens have arrived! I took the boys to the local feed store at noon today and they got to pick out exactly the ones they wanted. Here's a photo when we got home. Boy, do we have some explaining to do when Momma gets home.
They didn't have the breeds they thought they would. So we ended up getting. 2 Black Sex Link; 2 Americanas; and 2 New Hampshire Reds. They should have Buff Orpington's next week, and we may pick up two of those too.
I've got them set up now in a box in the guest bath tub. I have a lamp with 100watt bulb and it is keeping the temp at about 90degrees. Even then, the little girls are staying close to the bulb.
It didn't take long to realize that the large feeder and waterer I had wasn't going to work. So we loaded back up and went and bought the little chick stuff.
I'm thinking they'll stay in the bath tub for at least a few weeks until they can handle the garage.
6 chicks, 5 pounds of medicated starter food, the waterer and feeder all came to $22. So, the little girls don't have to start putting out eggs yet! We'll cut them a little slack...
Last edited:
OP
Tororider
Veteran Member
Yeah, the first week they say 95 degrees and then drop it 5 degrees every week. Looks like your boys are enjoying themselves. My oldest is demanding that he feed them, even though they are pecking at the cup I use to put the food in, hes being brave, hehe. The fun begins.
OP
Tororider
Veteran Member
From what I understand you should get very good egg production out of those, the sex links and the RIR's for sure. Can't wait to see the beginning of your coop.
OP
Tororider
Veteran Member
Well, I went out this morning to check on them and one was dead. It was the littlest one, so I'm not sure if she wasn't getting enough food because the others wouldn't let her eat enough or what. The other three look good and healthy so I will keep an eye on them. In hindsight I am not sure she was growing like the others have continued to do, so she may have been a runt or something. I guess the risk I took in picking the smallest ones, but I wanted to make sure I got hens. That is the reason I got four when the township only allows three, I figured something would happen. Bummer
tony123
Platinum Member
Sorry to hear that Toro. I agree though, it seems to be part of how the chicken game is played.
I've got an idea for my tractor/coop. Here's my inspiration photo taken from a poster on a chicken forum.
It doesn't look overly complicated, and I think will work for my 6-8 girls. Particularly knowing that they will free range several days a week.
Dimensions will be 4x4x12' with coop portion being 4x4'. Or, I may make the coop 4x6' again, knowing that free range is available.
I agree though, it seems to be part of how the chicken game is played.I've got an idea for my tractor/coop. Here's my inspiration photo taken from a poster on a chicken forum.
It doesn't look overly complicated, and I think will work for my 6-8 girls. Particularly knowing that they will free range several days a week.
Dimensions will be 4x4x12' with coop portion being 4x4'. Or, I may make the coop 4x6' again, knowing that free range is available.
OP
Tororider
Veteran Member
I would go with the 4'x6', every recomendation that I have read was 4 sq ft per bird. If they are free ranging you won't have to wrory about the 10 sq ft per bird in pen space. Looks like a cool design, you may want to go higher for ease of getting in to clean. If I could figure out how to save the google sketch up file I made in photobucket I would try to post it. I will see what I can do, its pretty basic though.
bmac
Veteran Member
Boy, what a thread to read through in one evening.
My 10 year old daughter is in 4-H (in our public school system, all 5th gradersare enrolled in 4-H). This is the 2nd year of a program they call the "Poultry Chain" where kids are given the opportunity to get free peeps if they agree to show some of them at the county fair in the fall.
Well, she wanted to do it and begged and pleaded to the point where she wore me down. I agreed to let her get the chicks.
The kids could select 2 breeds from a rather impressive list of large breed or bantams. She chose 2 bantam breeds based purely on the her impression of the level of "cuteness". Each kid receives 10 chicks of each breed - so about a week and a half ago she picked up her 20 chicks - 10 Blue Silkies and 10 Black Cochins. While waiting for the chicks to arrive (and for about a week afterwards) I had the pleasure of designing and building a brooder.
My initial plan was a simple 2x2 frame enclosed with wire mesh. The "Princess" said that just wouldn't do for her babies. So here is the final product after 2 weeks of designing on the fly, head scratching and a little carpentry.
The features she wanted include (1) front windows. For this I used plexiglass. (2) several sections so the pen can be enlarged as the chicks grow. Again, I used slide in plexiglass dividers. (3) She wanted it on a "table" so she could watch the birds while standing. Base is basic 4x4 and 2x4 construction. Another feature is one my wife requested - easy clean-out of the shavings. To do this, I just made the floors of each section "slidable". Move the chicks into one compartment, place an appropriate receptacle on the shelf underneath the compartment and pull the floor toward you. Most shavings will fall into the trash bin below. About the only thing in this brooder that was included in my original plan is the 2x2 framing for the carcass.
It was a fun project that cost way more than I had hoped. But, I was able to justify the purchase of a pneumatic air trim nailer and a few more clamps for myself.
Once the fair is over and the kids get their ribbons or trophies, the 4-H folks sponsor a chicken sale. Here the kids can bring as many of their chickens as they like and sell them to interested buyers. Kids get to keep 100% of their proceeds. Then, next Spring, they get to start over with 20 new chicks.
Another thing that has come from this - Eddie, this is where you come in - is that my 16 year old son now wants to get in on the poultry action and wants to get some turkeys. I told him that the only way we will get turkeys is if we get wild turkey chicks to release once they are old enough. Nothing long term. He's fine with this plan so we will be ordering 6 wild turkey chicks soon. I'm reserving one section of the brooder for the turkeys.
3 pics are attached, empty brooder, brooder with chicks and one of chick in daughter's hand.
My 10 year old daughter is in 4-H (in our public school system, all 5th gradersare enrolled in 4-H). This is the 2nd year of a program they call the "Poultry Chain" where kids are given the opportunity to get free peeps if they agree to show some of them at the county fair in the fall.
Well, she wanted to do it and begged and pleaded to the point where she wore me down. I agreed to let her get the chicks.
The kids could select 2 breeds from a rather impressive list of large breed or bantams. She chose 2 bantam breeds based purely on the her impression of the level of "cuteness". Each kid receives 10 chicks of each breed - so about a week and a half ago she picked up her 20 chicks - 10 Blue Silkies and 10 Black Cochins. While waiting for the chicks to arrive (and for about a week afterwards) I had the pleasure of designing and building a brooder.
My initial plan was a simple 2x2 frame enclosed with wire mesh. The "Princess" said that just wouldn't do for her babies. So here is the final product after 2 weeks of designing on the fly, head scratching and a little carpentry.
The features she wanted include (1) front windows. For this I used plexiglass. (2) several sections so the pen can be enlarged as the chicks grow. Again, I used slide in plexiglass dividers. (3) She wanted it on a "table" so she could watch the birds while standing. Base is basic 4x4 and 2x4 construction. Another feature is one my wife requested - easy clean-out of the shavings. To do this, I just made the floors of each section "slidable". Move the chicks into one compartment, place an appropriate receptacle on the shelf underneath the compartment and pull the floor toward you. Most shavings will fall into the trash bin below. About the only thing in this brooder that was included in my original plan is the 2x2 framing for the carcass.
It was a fun project that cost way more than I had hoped. But, I was able to justify the purchase of a pneumatic air trim nailer and a few more clamps for myself.
Once the fair is over and the kids get their ribbons or trophies, the 4-H folks sponsor a chicken sale. Here the kids can bring as many of their chickens as they like and sell them to interested buyers. Kids get to keep 100% of their proceeds. Then, next Spring, they get to start over with 20 new chicks.
Another thing that has come from this - Eddie, this is where you come in - is that my 16 year old son now wants to get in on the poultry action and wants to get some turkeys. I told him that the only way we will get turkeys is if we get wild turkey chicks to release once they are old enough. Nothing long term. He's fine with this plan so we will be ordering 6 wild turkey chicks soon. I'm reserving one section of the brooder for the turkeys.
3 pics are attached, empty brooder, brooder with chicks and one of chick in daughter's hand.
